Bagridae
Kibonde
Chrysichthys brachynema
FISH SPECIES
Freshwater Fish
Freshwater fish spend all or part of their lives in rivers, lakes, streams and wetlands. The label describes an environment, not one branch of the fish family tree, so freshwater species include many unrelated shapes and lineages.
FISH ATLAS / FIELD GUIDEFreshwater FishIN THIS CHAPTER01 / Characteristics02 / Lifestyle03 / Species04 / Field notes
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01 / NATURAL HISTORY
Characteristics
Freshwater habitats contain far less salt than seawater and can change quickly with seasons, floods and drought. Fish living there use many different strategies, from streamlined bodies for current to barbels that help find food near the bottom.
- 01River fish
- 02Lake fish
- 03Stream fish
02 / LIFESTYLE
Lifestyle
Life in freshwater follows the movement of water and food. Some fish hold position in a current and intercept drifting prey; others search plants or sediment for a meal. Changes in flow and water level can open feeding grounds or trigger movements toward spawning areas. These behaviors reflect how fish balance hydrodynamic energy expenditure against food intake.
OBSERVATION INDEX
- Holding position in a current
- Feeding among plants or sediment
- Movement with changing water levels
03 / SPECIES
Representative species
Discover representative species illustrating the ecological diversity, morphologies and adaptations of this group.
Kibonde
Nothobranchiidae
Kikambala nothobranch
Nothobranchius interruptus
Cyprinidae
Kikuchi's minnow
Aphyocypris kikuchii
Rivulidae
killfish
Aphyolebias obliquus
Rivulidae
killfish
Trigonectes rogoaguae
Rivulidae
Killifish
Anablepsoides erberi
Rivulidae
Killifish
Anablepsoides jucundus
Rivulidae
Killifish
Anablepsoides limoncochae
Rivulidae
Killifish
Austrolebias adloffi
Rivulidae
Killifish
Austrolebias affinis
Rivulidae
Killifish
Austrolebias cheradophilus
Rivulidae
Killifish
Austrolebias cinereus
Rivulidae
Killifish
Austrolebias gymnoventris
Rivulidae
Killifish
Austrolebias luteoflammulatus
Rivulidae
Killifish
Austrolebias melanoorus
Rivulidae
Killifish
Austrolebias prognathus
Rivulidae
Killifish
Austrolebias queguay
Rivulidae
Killifish
Austrolebias vazferreirai
Rivulidae
Killifish
Austrolebias viarius
Rivulidae
Killifish
Austrolebias wolterstorffi
Rivulidae
Killifish
Cynopoecilus melanotaenia
Nothobranchiidae
Kilombero
Nothobranchius kilomberoensis
Toxotidae
Kimberley archerfish
Toxotes kimberleyensis
Terapontidae
Kimberley grunter
Syncomistes kimberleyensis
04 / FIELD NOTES
A closer look
What makes a fish freshwater?
It is recorded from inland waters with low salinity for all or part of its life cycle.
Are all freshwater fish closely related?
No. Freshwater is a habitat category that includes many separate evolutionary groups.
Can freshwater fish survive in seawater?
Most cannot; without physiological adaptations to excrete excess salt, their cells rapidly lose water through osmosis and dehydrate in hypertonic seawater.